Day 52 Manchester, NH to Portsmouth, NH   61 miles and 2207 feet of climb

It was 60 degrees and raining when we rode out of the Holiday Inn Express in Manchester, New Hampshire on the final leg of our 3860-mile bike ride across America. Our final destination today was to be Northhampton State Beach in North Hampton, New Hampshire. This was the designated spot where we were to do the traditional "front wheel dip" in the Atlantic Ocean. 52 days earlier, we had dipped our rear wheels in the Pacific Ocean way back on July 2.

For me, the rain and chill of the day actually served to heighten the exhilaration I felt knowing that I was on the cusp of completing a bike ride that I'd been dreaming of since I was 21 years old. There were numerous times during those final 60 miles when I began to quietly cry as we made our way out of the city of Manchester and on to the beautiful country roads of New England. My emotions went up and down just like the hills and valleys we were climbing and then descending. I would start to lose it, and quickly remind myself that I needed to focus on riding safely and strongly until the very last pedal stroke to the ocean.

It sounds like a cliche, but you can really see and feel the history in this part of the country as you ride along through one town after another passing churches and homes dating back to the 1700s.

The plan was to ride together as a group for the last 10 miles to the coast. The British National Cycling Team and I stopped at a coffee shop in the town of Exeter to warm up and wait for all the other riders. After getting coffee, we collected everyone and made the final push to North Hampton Beach. The British team requested that rider Jim Nealon, who lives in Exeter, move to the front of the peloton and lead us all in for the final miles to the ocean.

Wheel Dip in the Atlantic Ocean

The British National Cycling Team plus one American who has no business riding with these guys

Team Diamond Dave 

(L to R)

Tom, Gerry, Dave, Chris, and Matt

My childhood friends Matt, Lad, Gerry, and Tom all made the trip to Portsmouth to greet us at the beach. Matt even had tee shirts made for the occasion.

The fabulous America By Bicycle support staff

(L to R)

Mike, Jake, Jim, and Mark

With my best friend (and the best thing that ever happened to me), my beautiful wife, Chris.

Our entire crew of riders.

This trip has been fantastic in so many ways that even now, two days removed, I have trouble putting into words all the different emotions I'm feeling. We head back to Califonia tomorrow, and I'm performing at 2 events this weekend, so I'm already preparing to get back to work. But at the same time, I'm still trying to process all the rich experiences of the past 7 weeks. It's taken me 3 days just to put this last post together, and it still feels incomplete to me. I think I'll post an epilogue for this trip here next week. Perhaps the words will come easier then. 

Thank you for reading about my adventure. I hope that everyone who reads this blog has the opportunity to experience something as personally enriching to them as this trip has been for me.

Peace

Dave Hosley

Portsmouth, New Hampshire

July 25, 2019